Incorporation creates your organization and the IRS makes it tax-exempt, but neither gives you the right to ask the public for money. That right runs through each state’s charity regulator, and the rules are genuinely state-by-state: what triggers registration, what it costs, what renews when, and who is exempt all differ. We will not pretend to maintain fifty states’ worth of fees on this page; instead, each step links the authoritative source to check for your states.

Why this matters more for SGOs: §25F donors can live anywhere your website reaches, and a nationwide donate button is exactly the situation the multistate registration rules were written for. Budget real attention here before your first campaign.

The steps

  1. A third layer, separate from incorporation and 501(c)(3): most states require charities to register before soliciting residents. Check the exemption list on the regulator's page, file with the stage-1 paperwork you already have, and calendar the renewal the day it's granted.

    0/3 insideStep-by-step guide →

    NASCO state regulator directory ↗

  2. A donate button reachable nationwide can trigger duties in other states. The Charleston Principles: registration is expected where you target residents or receive repeated, substantial online gifts. Let your §25F geography lead, and re-check annually with real donor data.

    0/3 insideStep-by-step guide →

    Harbor Compliance state-by-state chart (free) ↗